Control mechanism for concrete mixers and analogous apparatus



Fan. 28, E936.

A. E. MILLER ET AL CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CONCRETE MIXERS AND ANALOGOUS APPARATUS Filed Oct. 30, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l gwvmtozy Jan, 28, 1936. E MILLER ET AL 2,028,988

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CONCRETE MIXERS AND ANALOGOUS APPARATUS Filed Oct. 30, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 a BATCHMEITER a AUTOMATIC CONTROL gmmtow ja zs, 1g36. MlLLER ET A 2,028,988

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CONCRETE MIXERS AND AN LOGCUS APPARATUS .Filed Oct. 50, 1931 v A 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 BATCHMETER AUTOMATIC CONTROL gmmtow firtharEfliI/ler a Samuel 67299521; J5:

Jan. 28, 1936. V

A. E. MILLER ET AL v 2,023,988 CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CONCRETE MIXERS AND ANALOGOUS APPARATUS F1186. Oct. 30, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Operation Cycle.

@atchmeter Settirg, 60sec.)

' gwueml ozo flrthurEfliller a Samual 1571651 7, J1,

Patented Jan. 28, 1936 j "T'. S'E'TS @ATENT OFFICE CONTRGL MECHANISM FOR, CONCRETE MIXER-S AND ANALOGOUS APPARATUS Application October 30, 1931, Serial No. 572,161

19 Claims.

tions of the various instrumentalities of such ap,

5 paratus, and has for one of its objects to supplement and improve the automatic control devices which have been heretofore proposed for this purpose.

In the prior U. S. Patent No. 1,608,831 granted November 30, 1926 to Charles F. Ball, there is disclosed an automatic control mechanism for concrete mixers and similar apparatus, the function of which is to automatically control the sequence and duration of the operations of such instrumen- 15 talities of a concrete mixer as the discharge chute, the charging skip, the water supply valve, and the batchmeter or timer. While this device is capable of normally taking care of the proper operation of these various instrumentalities, at

so the same time provision is also made in accordance with the said Ball patent whereby the operator of the machine may at any time take manual control of one or more of the various instrumentalities, should it for any reason be de- 21; sirable to temporarily remove such instrumentality from the control of the automatic device.

When such automatic control of the charging skip is employed and even where manual control of such skip is used, either in conjunction with 5:; or separate from such automatic control, there exists the danger of the charging skip being elevated to charge a batch of material into the mixing drum before the truck or other vehicle which transports the raw materials from a central yard '1 to the mixer has moved out of its batch-discharging position relative to the skip. As a matter of fact there are instances of record where these skips have been elevated while the truck has been in batch-discharging position with disastrous re- 41 sults to the latter and sometimes injury to the truck operator.

It is one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide means for automatically preventing the elevation of the charging skip, either 4' as the result of the operation of an automatic control device or of the usual manual control mechanism, so long as a vehicle is in discharging position relative to the skip.

It is a further object of the invention to provide 5'': means whereby an automatic control mechanism such as that disclosed in the Ball Patent 1,608,831 may be locked to prevent the initiation of a control cycle of such mechanism except when the charging skip is at or relatively close to its batch to receiving position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the automatic control mechanism such as that of the Ball patent will be automatically locked by the batchmeter to prevent the initiation of a control cycle, so that the control mechanism may notbe started until the batchmeter has completed its timing operation, and the batch within the drum has been completely mixed.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide means whereby the automatic control mechanism may be automatically started upon a new control cycle through the operation of the batchmeter at the conclusion of a timing cycle of the latter, provided the truck or other vehicle has completed its batch-discharging operation into the skip and has moved from its batch-discharging position.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide means whereby the last-named means for starting the automatic control mechanism from the batchmeter may be rendered inoperative or ineiiective at will, without preventing the usual manual starting of such automatic control mechanism.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations ofparts more fully hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like reference characters designate like parts in all the views:

Figure l is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a concrete mixing machine of a well known type provided with an automatic control mechanism such as that shown in the Ball Patent 1,608,831 and with a batchmeter or timer of any suitable form, illustrating one form of connections and apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention for obtaining the above objects;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, elevational view of the various connections and operating instrumentalities associated with the automatic control mechanism and the batchmeter, the parts being shown in the positions they assume in the beginning of a cycle of the automatic control mechanism;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the various parts in the positions they assume subsequent to the close of the cycle of the automatic control mechanism and before the timing cycle of the batchmeter has been completed; and

V Figure 4 1s a chart illustrating graphically a complete operating cycle of a mixing apparatus from the time the automatic control mechanism 7 is started to the "time'the batchmeter cycle is 7 completed.

Referring more particularly to Figures'l, 2 and shown in Figure "l to the broken line position I cable l3. The said mixing apparatus is further- I batchmeter or timer 20 of any suitable construe-,

shown therein by means of the usual elevating more provided with an automatic control mechanism l which is or may be substantially in ac' cordance with the disclosures of the said Ball Patent 1,608,831 and which is adapted'thro-ugh suitable cams such as It to control the sequence and duration of the operations of thevarious instrumentalities'of the mixing apparatus, all as is fully set forth in the said patent. The said.

automatic control mechanism is provided with a shaft l'l carrying a starting lever ltgrthe outer end of which. is connected ,toa link 19, through which the'said control mechanism may berstarte'd" manuaIIyQasdescribed in the said Ball patent. Theimixing :apparatus is also provided with a tion and, in accordance withthe disclosures of the said Ball patent, such batchmeter is set into operationrat'a predetermined tirnejduring the cycleof the automatic control mechanism and runs i orsuch length of time as may be required to properlyrmix the drum contents,-all in accord- "ance with standard mixing practice. 1 In order to automatically lock the control mechanism [5 to prevent the initiation of a cycle thereof while a truck or other vehicle is in-batchdischarging position relative to the skip it the rfollowing mechanism is provided: The forward 7 end of the skip has journalled in its side walls as at 2! a -U-sh'aped barrier or trip Z2 which is normally :mairitained Yin substantiallyithe position shown in Figure 1 by a coiled spring 23, one end of which may be anchored to the skipiat 24 and the other end of which engages the arm 25'rigidly connected to the journal 2! of the trip 22. I From the said trip 22 acableror'equivale'nt connection 26' leads rearwardly through suitable guiding pol l eys' 21 and 28 and has its other end connected 7 to the arm 1290f a bell crank lever 30 pivctally V mounted on a stud or shaft 3! and having a" second'arm 32 A tension spring 33 extending between the arm 29 and a suitable anchor 34 on theframewo-rk of the apparatus tends to move the bell'crank lever 38 in aiclock-wise direction upon its pivot 3| to bring the upper end of the arm 32 beneath the lug or'projection 35 formed on'the starting .lever I 8 of the automatic control mech anism, as shown in Figure 3.

'W-hen theskip is in its'lowest or batch-receivingposition illustrated'in full lines in Figure l, and before the truck'or other-vehicle which transports the'rawmate'rials has reached its dischargg, ing position relative to the skip; the trip member 22 is in the position shown in Figure 1, under the influence of springZS, pulling the cable 26 toward the left as viewed in said figure and thereby drawing-the bell crank lever 30 toward the left to withdraw its arm 32 from beneath the starting .lever lug 35 to; the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. On the other hand when a truck orvehicle backs into the skip i l to discharge a batch of raw material thereinto, the 'wheelor other portion of the said truck will strike the baror trip 22, moving the same in a clock-wise direction against the action of spring-23,' relieving the ten sion on cable 25, and permittingspring 33 to move lever 38] in a clock wise direction to bring its arm 32 beneath the lug 35 of starting lever-l8. Ob-

viously with the arm 32 beneath the lug 35, as

' shown in Figure 3, thedownward movement of the starting lever 18 through movement'of the link 3 will be prevented, and therefore a cycle;

of the automatic control mechanism cannot be initiated when a truck has backed into ithe skip; movedthe trip 22 toward the right as viewed in Figure l, relieved the tension'on cable'26, and

l permitted spring 3-3 to bring the'arm 32 of lever 39 beneath lug S5. 'Ittherefore results thatso long as the vehicle is in discharging position rela;

tive' to the skip the latter cannot be raised, since the elevation thereof is under the control of the automatic control mechanism l5, and the starting, lever ll? of the latter cannotbe moved 10* startingposition so long as arm 32 is beneath its lug 35.

1 As: is "fully' described" in the an iPatent f 1,608,831 it is sometimes'desirable, and provision is made in accordance with that device, for the operator to take manual control of the'charging' skip H after the same'has' beenelevated to'the broken line position shown in Figure 1; such manualcontrol over'the'skip is taken by the operator, it'rnay resul t that the v skip is re-: tained in such elevated position beyonclthe close of the operating cycle of the automatic control When;

'mechanism !5. 'Underfsuch conditions it is desirable to preventthe initiation of a newcycle of the automatic control mechanism and provie sion ismade therefor in the present apparatus.

That is' to say, by properly locating the guide pulley 28 relative'fto thepivot point 12 of the skip, as the" latter isiraised to its broken line L positionshown in'Figure l, thatpcrtion of the,

cable between the pulley ZB'and its connection with the arm 29 will slacken, as indicated in broken lines in Figure l'ja'nd thus permit the spring 33 to move the bell crank lever-'30 towards its locking position shown in Figure 3. Under ordinary circumstances the starting lever |8-of theautomatic control-mechanism remains in its depressed positioncshow'n in Figure 2.-until the completion ofithe control cycleatwl1ichtimeit is automatically returned to its normal horizontal position shown in Figure 3.

When the 'skip is i elevated to the broken line position shownin'Fig ure 1, thus slackening the-cable connection 2 9,

as just described, the arm 32 of lever will move in "a clockwise direction until it engages against,

the side face of' lug 0f starting'lever iu If the skip" is loweredbefore the'completion'of the control cycle of mechanism 15 such'lowe'ring will 'again bring the'cable261tautjand' return the f arm 32 to its positionshown in Figure 2,1butif' on the other handfthe skip" II is maintained in elevated: position beyond the conclusion of the control cycle of mechanism |5,at such conclusion the startinglever l8 will moveupwardly thereupon permitting the upper end of arm-32 to'snap beneath the lug35 in position to pre-' vent the lever ifl'froni again being depressed until the skip is lowered.

In accordance with the disclosure of the Ball Patent 1,608,83l and in ordinary practice the automatic control 'rne'chanism'; upon being set in motion through movementof [the starting r leverlt, runs for a'predetermined length of time, usually thirty seconds, during whichthe mechanism moves the discharge chute in and out of discharging position, elevates and lowers the charging skip, and opens and closes the valve controlling the supply of water to the drum. It may also at a suitable point during its cycle of operation set into motion the batchmeter or timer 2!] or in some instances this may be accomplished by trip mechanism associated with the charging skip ll. So far as the operations of the present invention are concerned it is immaterial whether the automatic control mechanism itself directly trips the batchmeter or whether the latter is tripped through the elevation of the skip which in turn is controlled by the mechanism 15. It is sufficient that at some point during the cycle of automatic control by mechanism i 5 that the batchmeter be tripped and started to time the mixing period of the contents of the drum.

It is desirable that a new cycle of operation of the automatic control mechanism may not be started so long as there is a batch of material being mixed in the drum and so long as the batchme'ter 2B is timing the mixing of such batch. The present invention makes provision for accomplishing this result by providing upon the b-atchmeter 2G a suitable cam 40 which is rotatable through a complete revolution for each timing cycle of the batchmeter. A lever i! is pivoted as at 42 upon the framework of the machine and is provided with a toe 43 which bears upon the surface of the cam 4,0. The upper end of lever M has pivotally connected to it as at 3 one end of a link 45, the other end of which is pivotally connected as at 46 to an arm ll of a bell crank lever 8 which may be pivotally mounted upon the stud or shaft 3!. The said bell crank lever $8 is provided with a second arm 29 which extends upwardly and is adapted to be moved from the position shown in Figure 2 to a position against a stop lug 58, directly behind the arm 32 of lever 36 and beneath the lug 35 of starting lever 53, so as to prevent starting movement of such lever in the same manner as does the lever 3&3. A tension spring 5! anchored as at 52 normally tends to hold the parts in the positions shown in Figure 2 with the arm :39 of lever 68 out of alignment with lug 35. When the batchrneter 25 is set in operation the rotation of its cam :29 in the direction indicated by the arrow will move the toe as of lever 4! toward the left as seen in Figure 2 and will consequently move the link 45 and bell crank lever "58 towards the right to the positions shown in Figure 3. The batchmeter 25 is ordinarily set into operation approximately seconds before the completion of the control cycle of the automatic mechanism i5 and therefore the cam 29 is so designed and constructed that it will not produce this movement of the lever ii, link 45 and lever 33 until the completion of the control mechanism cycle, in order that the starting lever 18 of the latter may have returned to its neutral position shown in Figure 3; It would of course be possible to so design and construct the automatic control mechanism i5 as to permit its starting lever E5 to return to neutral position immediately after initiating a control cycle and in such event the delay in moving the link 45 and lever 68 toward the right from the position shown in Figure 2 would not be necessary.

While as above indicated the automatic control mechanism !5 is normally set into operation through the manual movement of its starting lever !3 through a link such as is, it is desirable that such mechanism may be started upon a new cycle of control immediately upon the completion of the timing cycle of the batchmeter. This may be accomplished in the present instance through the provision of a lever 55 also mounted on the stud or shaft 42 and having a toe 56 engaging the batchmeter cam The upper end of the said lever 55 has connected to it as at 51 one end of a link 58, the other end of which is slotted as at 59 to receive a pin 58 providing a lost motion connection with the lever 6| also rigid with the starting shaft I! of the automatic control mechanism l5. During the timing cycle of the batchmeter the parts are in the positions shown in Figure 3 with the toe 5B of lever 55 riding on the high portion of the cam 40. At the completion of the timing cycle however the toe 56 drops off of the shoulder 39 of the cam 40 to the low portion of the cam, thereby permitting the tension spring 62 to pull the upper end of lever 55 toward the left, as viewed in Figure 3,

"and into the position shown in Figure 2. This movement of lever is transmitted through, the link 58 and pin 60 to lever 5! carried by the starting shaft i? and of course has the same effect upon the shaft as has the starting lever I 8 of the control mechanism. In other words, it moves the shaft H a sufiicient distance in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, to initiate a cycle of operation of the said control mechanism 15.

The toe 63 of lever Al is preferably arranged slightly in advance of the toe 56 of lever 55 so that the cam lii will permit the operation of lever 4| slightly in advance of lever 55 whereby the locking arm 4% of bell crank lever 48 may be moved from under the lug 35 before the link 58 is moved toward the left toactuate the starting shaft H.

The pin and slot connection 59 and 60 between the lever SI and link 58 is provided in order that manual starting of the cycle of the control mechanism I5 may be had irrespective of the automatic starting provided from the batchmeter. When such manual control of the automatic mechanism is desired, the hand lever 55 is moved from its full line position shown in Figure 3 to its broken line position, thereby swinging its toe 66 upwardly and into the path of a lug or projection 61 formed on the link 58 to prevent movement of the latter. It thus results that the actuating mechanism 55, 58, 6|, and E32, whereby the automatic control mechanism is started from the batchmeter, will be rendered inoperative or ineifective, but due to the pin and slot connections and 69 the starting lever 18 may be depressed t rough the medium of link !9 in the ordinary manner.

As fully disclosed in the Ball Patent 1,608,831 the automatic control mechanism thereof is sus ceptible of adjustment within certain limits to provide for lengthening and shortening the time, and/or changing the relative positions, of the various operations of the instrumentalities of the mixing apparatus. A typical cycle of operation, from the starting in motion of the automatic control mechanism I5 until the completion of the timing cycle of the batchmeter, is graphically indicated in Figure i. It has been here assumed that the operating cycle of the control mechanism is 30 seconds, that the batchmeter setting is 60 seconds, and that the batchmeter cycle over-laps that of the automatic control mechanism by 10 seconds, being started seconds after the starting of the automatic control cycle. The running time of the automatic control mechanism is indicated by the line 10, begin- 40 second of the cycle, the truck or vehicle is' backed ning at zero seconds and extending to 30 sec-' During the operation of the'automatic control mechanism the discharge chute isrmoved in, from zero to two seconds,

as indicated by the line 12, the discharge takes place from two seconds to the 10th second, as

indicated at 13,'whereupon the discharge chute is moved out from the 10th to the 12th second; as indicated by theline 14. The elevation of the charging skip is overlapped with the discharge and begins jat say the 4th second and extends to the i5th'second, as indicated by line 15, it being held inits elevated position 5seconds, and then permitted toidescend from the th to the th seconds, as indicated by line'lfi. Thematerial in the skip starts to slide to the drum before the skip has reached its highest elevation, begin ningat approximately the 12th second and continues until the 20th second, as indicated byline TI; The water control valve is turned on at the 9th, second, but since it takes approximately three seconds for the water to travel through the piping'from the valve to the drum, it does not actually reach the drum until approximately the 12th second. The travel of water through the piping is indicated by the line i3, and its admission into the drum by. the line is, which admission continues until approximately the 23rd sec- The batchmeter having been started at the 20th second of the complete cycle, in accordance with the disclosure of the ,Ball'patenh-when the autoa new cycle thereof. The charging skip H having reached the ground at approximately the 25th therein, and through the 'trip'22, cable 26' and spring 33 moves the lockinglever arm, 32 into looking position, also locking the automatic con 7 trol mechanism against the initiation of a new a cycle; At approximately the 75th second the vehicle willhave complet'ed its' discharge of a fresh batch into the'skip and will move outoi its discharging position, .whereuponcthe trip 22, 7

spring 23; and cable'26 will withdraw the arm 32 from looking position. As it approaches the 79th second the toe'3 of lever 4| will drop ofi of the shoulder '39 of cam'dll, permitting spring 'il to move lever 4|, link 45 and locking lever arm 49 toward the left as viewed in Figures 1, 2, and 3, thus also unlocking the starting lever l8; and at V the 80th second asthe batchmeter completes its timing cycle and stops, the toe of. lever 55 will drop ofi'of shoulder 39, and spring 62 will move link 58 and lever 6l' toward the left, thus j immediately beginning the new control'cycle from the mechanisml5.

It is obvious that those skiued in the in may 7 vary the'detail's of construction as well as the precise arrangement of parts without departing I from the spirit of the invention, and therefore it is not wished to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be required by the claims;

What is claimed is:

. 1. In concrete mixing apparatusland the like havinga charging skip, and mechanism for automatically controlling the operations of said skip, said .mechanism being provided with a starting lever 'forsetting it into operation, the

" combination of means movableto and frornsposition to prevent'actuation'of the starting lever: of said control mechanism; means adjacent said skip, operable by a vehicle as it reaches and leaves discharging position relative to the skip, for controlling the movements ,of said first named means; and connections between said first and last named means.

2. In concrete mixing apparatus and the like having a charging skip, and mechanisinior automat-ically controlling the operations of 1 said skip, said mechanism being provided with a starting lever for setting it into operation, the'combination of alever movable to and from posi r r tion to lock said starting lever against actuation; r

a trip carried by said skip operab le by a vehiele' as it reaches and leaves discharging position relbatch-receiving position, and mechanism for au- 7 V movements of said skip, said mechanism being provided with start tomatically controlling the ing means for setting it intooperation, the com bination of a locking lever controlled .by said skip forv automaticallyrlocking said starting means 'fag'a ist operation when "said skip is materially out of its batch-receivingposition:

4. In concrete m having a charging p movable to and'from a batch-receiving posits n, and rnechanism for automatically controllingthe movements 'of said g apparatus and the" like skip, said mechanism being provided with a start ing leverfor setting it into operation, the com bination of meansmovable to and from position 'to prevent operation oi said starting leveryand connections between said means and skipwhereby said means may be movedftoward said,pre-" ventive position when said skip ismoved mas} terially out of batch-receiving -positionl 5. In concrete mixing apparatus and the like having a charging skip movable toand from a batch-receiving position, and mechanism for au-f tomatically controlling the movements of said skip, said mechanism being provided with a start 456 ing lever for setting it into operation, the combi nation of a lever movable toand from a positionv to lock said starting lever against; starting movement; connections between said skip and. locking; lever normally taut when the skip isi in batch receiving position to movesaid locking. lever :to. 7'

unlocking position, said connections adapted to slacken as the skip is moved fro-milbatch-re-l ceiving position; and means for moving said lock- 7 ing lever to locking position as said connections slacken; i i 6; In' concrete mixing the sequence and duration of the operations of the various instrumentalities of the apparatus,

apparatus and the like having mechanism for automatically;controlling' and atiming device for indicating the mixing J period, the combination of connections between said timing device and automatic control mecha- V nism, operable by the timing device to prevent the initiation of a cycle of said automatic co n-' 5 trol mechanism whiie said timingdevice is timing a mixing operation. 1

In concrete mixing-apparatus and the like having mechanism for automatically controlling the sequence and duration of the ioperations of the various instrumentalities of the apparatus, 7 and a timing device. for indicating the mixing period, the combination of locking means for said automatic control device; and "connections between said locking means and said timing device for preventing the starting of said automatic control mechanism while said timing device is functioning.

8. In concrete mixing apparatus and the like having mechanism for automatically controlling the operations of the various instrumentalities of the apparatus, and a timing device for indicating the miin'ng period, the cycle of operation of which timing device overlaps that of said automatic'control device, the combination of connections between said timing device and automatic control mechanism for preventing the initiation of a cycle of said control device until the cycle of the timing device has been completed.

9. In concrete mixing apparatus and the like having mechanism for automatically controlling the sequence and duration of the operations of the various instrumentalities of the apparatus, and a timing device for indicating the mixing period, the beginning and ending of the cycle of said timing device being respectively subsequent to the beginning and ending of the cycle of said control mechanism, the combination of a locking member for said automatic control mechanism; and connections between said member and timing device, operable by the latter, to cause said member to lock said control mechanism at the close of its cycle to prevent initiation of a new cycle thereof until the completion of the cycle of said timing device.

10. In concrete mixing apparatus and the like having mechanism for automatically controlling the sequence and duration of the operations of the various instrumentalities of the apparatus, and a timing device for indicating the mixing period, the combination of means movable into a locking position relative to said automatic control mechanism; and cam actuated members operable by said timing device for moving said looking means into locking position to prevent the starting of a control mechanism cycle before the completion of a timing device cycle.

11. In concrete mixing and analogous apparatus having a charging skip, mechanism for automatically controlling the operations of the various instrumentalities of the apparatus, and a timing device for indicating the mixing period, the combination of means controlled by said timing device for starting a cycle of said automatic control mechanism; and means carried by the skip and arranged to be actuated by a vehicle as it moves to and from the skip, for automatically preventing such starting when said vehicle is in discharging position relative to said skip.

12. In concrete mixing apparatus and the like, the combination of a mixing receptacle; 2. movable skip for charging material into said receptacle; a cycle-control mechanism governing the movements of said skip to and from receptaclecharging position; and-a vehicle-operated trip controlling said cycle-control mechanism, to positively prevent said mechanism from initiating a movement of said skip toward receptacle-chargin position while the vehicle is in skip-charging position.

13. In concrete mixing apparatus and the like, the combination of a mixing receptacle; a movable skip for charging materials into said receptacle; an automatic cycle-control mechanism governing the movements of said skip to and from receptacle-charging position; a member movable to a position in whichit may positively prevent operation of said cycle-control mechanism; and

a trip connected to said member, operableby a vehicle as it reaches skip-charging position to cause said member to assume said operationpreventing position, whereby movement of the skip toward receptacle-charging position may be prevented While the vehicle is in such position.

14. In concrete mixing apparatus and the like, the combination of a mixing receptacle; a movable skip for charging materials into said receptacle; an automatic cycle-control mechanism governing the movements of said skip to and from receptacle-charging position; a locking lever arranged to positively prevent operation of said cycle-control mechanism; and a trip connected to said locking lever, engageable by a vehicle as it reaches a skip-chargin position, to cause said lever to move to locking position, whereby operation of said cycle-control mechanism and. consequent movement of the skip toward receptaclecharging position may be prevented while the vehicle is in trip-engaging position.

15. In concrete mixing apparatus and the like, a mixing receptacle; a movable skip for charging materials into said receptacle; an automatic cyclecontrol mechanism governing the movements of said skip to and from receptacle-charging position; a locking lever arranged to positively prevent operation of said cycle-control mechanism; means urging said lever toward locking position; a trip connected to said lever; and means connected to said trip, acting in opposition to and normally overcoming said first named means to maintain said lever out of locking position, said trip being movable by a vehicle as it reaches skip-charging position to overcome said last named means, whereby said first named means may move said lever to locking position and thereby prevent operation of. said cycle-control mechanism and consequent movement of the skip toward receptacle-charging position while the vehicle is in tripengaging position.

16. In a concrete mixer and the like having a charging skip, and hoisting apparatus for said skip, the combination of a member mounted on said skip, arranged for actuation by a vehicle as it moves into a discharging position relative to the skip; and connections actuated by said member to control said hoisting apparatus to prevent operation of the latter when the vehicle is in said discharging position.

17. In concrete mixing apparatus and the like having a charging skip, and mechanism for controlling the operations of said skip, the combination of a member mounted at the entrance of said skip for actuation by a vehicle as it moves into discharging position at said skip entrance; and means actuated by said member arranged to prevent said control mechanism initiating a skip cycle while the vehicle is in said discharging position.

18. In concrete mixing apparatus and the like having a charging skip, mechanism for elevating said skip, and control means for said elevating mechanism, the combination of a member carried by the skip in position to be actuated by a vehicle as it moves to and from a discharging position relative to said skip; and means actuated by said member arranged to automatically lock said control means, and unlock the same, as the vehicle respectively reaches and leaves said discharging position.

19. In concrete mixing apparatus and the like having a charging skip movable to and from a batch-receiving position, and mechanism for au- T j r --2,:o2s,9ss' V tomatioally controlling the movements of said. "neotions between said; member aridskip; arranged skip, the combination. -thei'ewifih .o'r a locking 7 fill-rough movement of said skip to batch-receiv- V-me'mber for said automatic control mechanism,- ingposition'to move said member from its said "mounted for movement to and. from a' position locking position.

in which it prevents, said mechanism initiating a ARTHUR E. V a cycle'of skip movements; means for moving'said I 7 SAMUEL SHAFER, JR.

I looking member to its said position; ,and"con-, 

